The Privatization of the Federal Communications Commission’s Part 68 By: Ed Hall Vice President,...

ThePrivatization of the Federal

Communications Commission’s Part 68

By:

Ed Hall

Vice President, Technology Development

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)

November 7, 2001November 7, 2001 22

Part 68: History

Before the establishment of the FCC Part 68 rules & regulations, telephone equipment was manufactured almost exclusively by Western Electric whereby:Inhibiting the proliferation of technical

knowledge of telephone equipment and networks outside the Bell System

Creating a monopoly in the development and manufacturing of telephone equipment

Promoting a closed-system architectural & infrastructure


Part 68: Purpose

The purpose of the Part 68 rules and regulations is to provide for uniform standards for the protection of the telephone network from harms caused by the connection of telephone equipment and associated wiring

Part 68 also provides for compatibility of hearing aids and telephones so as to ensure that persons with hearing aids have reasonable access to the telephone network


Part 68: Influence

Since Part 68 was established, the marketplaces for telephone equipment and local exchange service have changed dramatically whereby:Vibrant competition has emerged Basic voice telephones and new types of terminal

equipment, including advanced telephones, computer modems, and equipment for individuals with disabilities, have become widely and competitively available

Private standards-setting bodies and testing laboratories for telecommunications equipment have become well established


Part 68: Biennial Review

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directed the FCC to review its rules every even-numbered year and repeal or modify those found to be no longer in the public interest

Because of the rapid pace of change in both network and telephone equipment technologies, the FCC found it increasingly difficult for the regulatory process to keep pace thus creating a public disservice


Part 68: Privatization

Pursuant to the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Report and Order CC Docket No. 99-216, FCC 00-400, the FCC minimized the government’s role in Part 68 by privatizing significant portions of its rules governing the connection of customer premises equipment (telephone equipment) to the public switched telephone network and privatized the standards development and terminal equipment approval processes


Part 68: Privatization

To ensure continued uniformity and a level playing field that will assure robust competition, the FCC mandated the establishment of the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments (ACTA) to assume functions privatized

ACTA was formed through the co-sponsorship and support of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

TheAdministrative Council for

Terminal Attachments (ACTA)

By:

Tim Jeffries

Director, ACTA & Technology Development

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)


Administrative Council

A non-governmental telecommunications industry driven entity not controlled or dominated by any particular industry segment Is impartial, fair, balanced, and openRepresent all segments of the industry including:Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) Interexchange Carriers (IXC) Terminal Equipment Manufacturers (TEM) Network Equipment Manufacturers (NEM) Test Laboratories (LAB), and Other Interested Parties (OIP)


Administrative Council

Each segment elects 3 representatives to serve a two-year term18 Council Members, Chair, & Secretariat (ATIS)Council meets at least 4 times a year; open to the publicWork with government agencies, standards development organizations (SDO), telecommunications certification bodies (TCB), manufacturers, carriers, and the public


Administrative Council: Mission

Adopt mandatory technical criteria for terminal equipment to prevent network harm (Section 68.3) through the act of publishing such criteria developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards development organizations; and

Establish and maintain database(s) of equipment approved as compliant with the technical criteria


Administrative Council: Responsibilities

Council’s responsibilities must be performed in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner, and include:Adopt technical criteria submitted from ANSI-

accredited standards development organizations or committees

Provide 30-day public notice to inform industry of proposed technical criteria

Operate and maintain an accurate database of compliant equipment

Establish and maintain an appropriate labeling methodology


Administrative Council: Responsibilities

Council’s responsibilities (cont.)Respond to inquiries from the public regarding its

technical criteriaManage such other tasks as necessary and within

the Council’s scope that were formerly part of the FCC’s Part 68 functions

Ensure that the management, activities, and decisions of the Council are independent from all external influences

Coordinate, if necessary, which industry SDOs will take on a particular development project


Administrative Council: Database

The continuation of a uniform, nationwide database is essential to protecting the public interest

Maintaining a centralized, accurate database that is readily available and accessible to the public, including individuals with disabilities will:Permit interested parties such as the FCC, U.S.

Customs, and providers of telecommunications services to track and identify suppliers or importers of non-compliant equipment



Database advantages (cont):Ameliorate concerns regarding the potentially

adverse impact of non-compliant terminal equipment on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by ensuring that suppliers are held accountable for any damage their equipment may cause

Provide the public with the means to identify the party ultimately responsible for the product



Entities submitting information to the database, whether they obtained their approval from a TCB or utilized the supplier’s declaration of conformity (SDoC) process, must submit pertinent information regarding their identity and approved equipment to the database administratorACTA assumed the FCC Part 68 database which (currently) maintains records for 34,000+ productsDatabase is accessible via the Internet


Administrative Council: Questions

www.part68.org

[email protected]

+1.202.628.6380


Administrative Council: Website


Administrative Council: Website-Query

Information & Guidance for Submissions to the ACTASubmissions to the ACTA

from aSubmitter’s Perspective

By:

John Bipes

Owner/Engineer

Mobile Engineering, Inc.

OIP Segment Representative, ACTA

MOBILE ENGINEERING


Submission to the ACTA

via TCB (Telecom Certification Body)Lab evaluationLab evaluation and Certification of the TTE*

(Telecom Terminal Equipment) by one of the commercial labs granted TCB status by FCC

via SDOC (Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity)Lab evaluationLab evaluation of the TTE* (Telecom Terminal

Equipment), and Declaration by the supplier.

*Sometimes called TE (Terminal Equipment) or CPE (Consumer Premise Equipment)


ACTA Standards

The Administrative Council for Terminal Attachment (ACTA) has adopted technical criteria for Telephone Terminal Equipment (TTE). Equipment approved for connection to the public switched telephone network shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of Part 68, and with the applicable technical criteria adopted by ACTA.

The “dBs/Volts/s.” of FCC’s CFR47, Part 68, Subpart D


ACTA Standards

TIA/EIA/IS-968, Telecommunications -- Telephone Terminal Equipment -- Technical Requirements for Connection of Terminal Connection of Terminal EquipmentEquipment to the Telephone Network, June 2001

TIA/EIA/IS-883, Telecommunications -- Telephone Terminal Equipment -- Supplemental Technical Requirements for Connection of Stutter Dial Tone Detection Devices and ADSL Stutter Dial Tone Detection Devices and ADSL ModemsModems to the Telephone Network, June 2001

TIA/EIA/TSB-168, Telecommunications - Telephone Terminal Equipment - Labeling- Labeling Requirements, June 2001


Questions re. ACTA Standards

Inquires in regards to the technical content of any adopted specification, or interpretation thereof, should be sent to the organization (SDO) that submitted the specification. For information on contacting the appropriate SDO, refer to the technical specification.

A website of Frequently Asked Part 68 Questions is maintained by TIA under Committee TR41.


Origination of ACTA Standards

As provided for in the FCC Order [Report and Order in the 2000 Biennial Review of Part 68 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, CC Docket No. 99-216, FCC 00-400, adopted November 9, 2000 and released December 21, 2000], any ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization (SDO) observing ANSI consensus decision-making procedures may establish technical criteria and submit such criteria to the ACTA for adoption.

T1 Committee T1E1

TIA Committee TR41


Origination of ACTA Standards

The Report and Order:Created the ACTA

Split out the “dBs/Volts/s.” of FCC’s CFR47, Part 68, Subpart D - from Part 68

Mandated the ACTA adopt this unaltered item as their 1st mandatory Terminal Attachment Standard

This split-out and unaltered portion of Part 68, in ANSI format, is TIA/EIA/IS-968


TIA/EIA/IS-968

FCC Pt.68FCC Pt.68

EnforcementComplaint Procedures,

etc.

TIA/EIA/IS-968TIA/EIA/IS-968“dBs/Volts/s.”

LawLaw


TIA/EIA/IS-968

TTE Line Interface Hostilities; 4.2 Environmental 4.3 AC Leakage Current 4.4 Hazardous Voltage

Line

Interface Network


TIA/EIA/IS-968

Signal Power Limitations;4.5

Line

Interface Network


TIA/EIA/IS-968

Transverse Balance Limitations;4.6

Line

Interface Network


TIA/EIA/IS-968

On-Hook Impedance Limitations;4.7

Line

Interface Network


TIA/EIA/IS-968

Billing Protection;4.8

Line

Interface Network


TIA/EIA/IS-968

Plugs & Jacks;6.0

Plugs & Jacks


TIA/EIA/IS-968

Grandfathered Equipment;Annex A

Cross Reference to FCC Pt.68;Annex B

Informative Definitions;Annex C & D

Informative References;Annex E


ACTA “Submission Form”

The newest Telephone Terminal Equipment (TTE) Submission Form Version 1.04, October 16, 2001 is now available for download. This version contains a sample SDoC submission as well as a detailed description of each line item. All submitters should use this form for future TTE submissions:Telephone Terminal Equipment (TTE)Submission Submission

FormForm Version 1.04


ACTA “Guidelines & Procedures”

The Administrative Council for Terminal Attachment (ACTA) guidelines and procedures for submitting information to ACTA:Guidelines and ProceduresGuidelines and Procedures for submittal of

information for inclusion in the ACTA database of approved Telephone Terminal Equipment ("TTE"), Revision 1.1., October 2001


Submission to the ACTA

ACTA Submissionc/o ATIS1200 G St. NWWashington, DC20005

The Changing World of Telecom FCC Part 68 and ACTA In Today’s World

By:

Jimmy Salinas

Regional Manger

Southwestern Bell Communications, Inc

Chair of ACTA


Telecom: Today

This year has provided our world with many changes

Many of them have gone unnoticed by our industry to date

Minor thing like the creation of the ACTA

The changing functions of the FCC in relation to the Part 68 technical rules

Items like Sections 68.3, 68.7 and 68.105


Telecom: Today

68.3 - Definitions

Demarcation Point - interconnection between the Wireline Provider and the Terminal Equipment

68.7 - Technical Criteria for Terminal Equipment

Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments (ACTA)


Telecom: Today

68.105 - Minimum Point of Entry (MPOE ) and Demarcation point

MPOE; Shall be either the closest practicable point to where the wiring crosses a property line or closest practicable point to where the wiring enters a Multiunit Building or Buildings


Telecom: Today

Minor Changes, but changes that carry major problems in the way we do our business

First minor item, is the fact that there are no bandwidth limitations in the new FCC Part 68

Second, there or no facility type limits as well, just Wireline or Wireless Providers


Telecom: Today

And finally, the most important minor change is The President’s “Executive Order 13231--Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age” Noting that the way we conduct Business, Government Operates and National Defense, depend on an interdependent network of critical information infrastructures


Telecom: Today

It is the policy of the United States to protect against disruption of the operation of information system for critical infrastructure and thereby help to protect the people, economy, essential human and government services, and national security of the United States


Questions & Answers:

ACTA Panel:

Ed Hall, VP, Tech. Development, ATIS

Tim Jeffries, Dir, ACTA & Tech. Development, ATIS

John Bipes, Owner/Eng., Mobile Engineering, ACTA OIP Rep.

Jimmy Salinas, Regional Mgr., SBC, ACTA Chair

The Privatization of the Federal Communications Commission’s Part 68 By: Ed Hall Vice President,...

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